It's Not My Fault
by SMASH1234
Summary: Reno loved Elena. But when she broke his heart, it pushed him over the edge. Will he wake up, or is he doomed to die? Suicide attempt warning.
1. Is he dead yet?

**This is my first ever fanfic! If I don't get enough reviews then I'll just give up on this story, so if you like it, review it! If there's not enough angst or melodrama, then tell me and I'll fix it.**

The mood in the room was somber, and it was reflected in the faces of the three men and one woman gathered around the hospital bed. The room had no windows, and the only sounds were those of gentle weeping, and the soft, even beeping of the life support machine that was keeping the man on the bed from slipping into death.

The woman was the source of the sobbing. Her blonde hair was disheveled, and her eyes were red from crying. The hand of the large, bald man was resting on her shoulder, trying to still the sobs that were wracking her slim frame. The man in the spotless white suit was gripping the headboard of the bed so tightly that his knuckles matched his outfit, and the last man, the one with black hair, was gazing intently at the person on the bed, his eyes filled with guilt.

The cold, fluorescent light of the hospital room did not flatter the body that was lying on the cot. His skin looked as fragile as tissue paper. His emaciated body was motionless and frail; his once lively face now frighteningly delicate and breakable, with large bags under his closed eyes. His red hair had been taken out of its usual laid-back ponytail, and was fanned out across the pillow like fire crawling from his scalp.

He had been unconscious for three days, and the doctors didn't think that he would wake up again.

Suddenly, the girl spun around, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"It's all your fault, Tseng!" She shrieked at the raven-haired man. "You made him do this!"

"Elena, I-" Tseng stuttered miserably.

"What did you tell him, Tseng? Why did you let him go home alone that night? You knew he was depressed! You knew what he might do! But you wanted me all to yourself!"

Without warning, she threw herself onto the bed, sobbing into the unconscious man's chest.

"Come back! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! _Come back! COME BACK_!"

As Rude hauled her off the inert body, she screamed at Tseng:

"You killed him, Tseng! You killed the man I loved!"

And then Rude dragged her outside, leaving the room as silent as before.

Rufus stood up stiffly.

"I'm going to see if I can try to calm her down with Rude." He said, leaving the room.

And then Tseng was left alone with his dying rival.

_But he's not dead yet_, he thought. _So I didn't kill him..._

_I didn't kill Reno._


	2. Tseng

**Well, not many people responded to my last chapter, but one person really liked it (thanx, btw). Well, here's the next chapter, since you demanded it. Pleeease review! **

Three days ago…

It was dark outside the restaurant that night. The casually dressed redhead was laughing joyfully, talking to the stunning blonde on his arm. To the casual observer, they looked like the perfect couple: Young, beautiful, and in love.

But there was something wrong. The girl's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and her laughter seemed forced.

Her boyfriend noticed her discomfort.

"Elena, what's wrong?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

She sighed, giving up her happy façade.

"Oh, Reno, I-I don't know how to say this, but, well…" She sighed again.

"Reno, I can't see you anymore."

The young Turk looked like he had been slapped.

"Wh-what?"

"Reno, please! This is hard enough as it is!" Elena pleaded.

His face was pale and drawn. He looked like he was about to cry, but then his mouth hardened into a thin, angry line.

"It's Tseng, isn't it?"

Elena's face distorted in wretchedness. "Reno, that's not it at all!"

"You love him more than me. I know you do!"

"Reno, please, that's not true!"

"It was just a prank, wasn't it? Did he bet you that you couldn't make me fall in love, Elena? Was that the idea?" he yelled.

"Reno, NO! I don't-"

"Well, you've won your bet, haven't you?" Reno spat bitterly. "I hope you and your…_boyfriend _are happy now!"

And with that, he stomped away, ignoring Elena's pleas for him to return.

Tseng was still alone with Reno. Looking down at his co-worker, he sighed despondently.

"Why did you do it, Reno?" he whispered, more to himself than to the other man. "Why did you even ask her out in the first place? Why did you make me hate you?"

He continued, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "Why did she break up with you? Why that night, of all nights?"

He shook his head. "I didn't know, Reno. I didn't want to hurt you more. I wanted her all to myself. I wanted her to be mine, and no one else's."

He felt the hot tears drip down his cheeks, onto his black suit.

"Why did you do it? Why would you want to kill yourself?

"Why did you try to commit suicide?"


	3. Tseng cont'd

When Tseng walked through the door of the bar, all he wanted was to get a drink and get out. But then he saw the despondent redhead at the counter, huddled around a bottle.

He couldn't resist.

Sliding into the seat next to his distressed associate, he smirked.

"I thought you had a date with Elena tonight."

Slowly, the man turned to face Tseng. His shirt was even more rumpled than usual, and his eyes were crimson, his face stained with dried tears.

He waited for a moment before carefully enunciating, "She called it off."

Tseng laughed mean-spiritedly. "What happened, did you piss her off?"

Reno glared. "Suddup. You're makin' me sober."

"What, did Elena finally dump your sorry ass?"

Suddenly, Tseng was shoved up against the wall, suspended a few inches off the floor. Reno's hand was clenched around his throat.

"Never," he hissed, his breath heavy with alcohol, but his voice somehow totally clear-headed, "Say her name to me again."

Then Tseng was on the ground again, and Reno's hand was hanging limply by his side.

"She will never love you." Tseng whispered spitefully.

And then Reno was gone.

The next time Tseng saw him, he would be lying on the hospital bed.


	4. Rufus

Tseng was still staring broodily at Reno's inert body when Rufus came in.

"Tseng? You may leave now." The President said.

"What? Oh, yes Sir." He left the room, still deep in thought.

Rufus took a seat on the plastic chair near his comatose employee's bedside.

He gazed at the motionless body, taking in the tubes attached to his pale, emaciated frame.

He sighed softly. "Ah, Reno, what are we going to do with you?"

He smiled sadly and twisted a strand of the fiery red hair around his index finger.

"Why did I have to find you?" he asked. "I'll never forget how I found you."

Reno had stumbled through the sudden downpour, crashing through the double doors of the Shinra, Inc headquarters. He made his way to the office he shared with Elena, and grabbed a pen, a sheet of paper, and a bottle of Valium pills.

He quickly scrawled a note on the paper, then picked up the bottle of pills and tipped out five onto his palm.

It was time. He had nothing left to lose.

Rufus walked along the hall, checking to see if anyone was still there.

He saw a light from under the door of Reno and Elena's office. Smiling to himself, he thought, _It must be Elena, working overtime again._

He opened the door-

And froze in his tracks.

Reno was lying on the carpeted floor a note on the desk, and an open bottle of pills beside it.

Rufus ran up to the desk with a growing feeling of dread. Frantically, he read the note:

Rufus,

I'm sorry, but I have to do this. It hurts too much for me to go on, and I can't live without her.

Tell Elena that I love her.

-Reno

The president of Shinra, Inc fell to his knees, trying to find his collapsed friends' pulse.

"Help! Someone, please, HELP ME!"

Rufus clenched his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying to stifle his anguished sobs.

"Reno, you idiot…I love you like a brother and you go and pull something stupid like this! Don't you see how much you've hurt Elena? She blames herself for what you've done. Tseng is so guilty I can't look him in the eyes anymore. And under his sunglasses, Rude's eyes are bloodshot from crying for you. I've seen it myself!"

Silence claimed the room again. The life support machine beeped steadily.

Rufus brushed a finger across his companion's cheek.

"Please wake up, Reno. We need you.

"All of us."


	5. Rude

Rude peeked around the doorframe.

"Mr. President, Sir?"

The blonde man jumped, startled out of his reverie.

"What, Rude?"

"There's some paperwork the doctors want you to sign." He bald man said, entering the room.

"Ah, yes, of course." Rufus stood up and walked to the door.

He turned around. "Keep an eye on him." He said, gesturing towards the inanimate body.

Rude nodded shortly.

The President left, and Rude eyed the chair, before settling on the end of the bed.

"Hey, man. What's up?" he asked.

Needless to say, Reno did not answer.

Rude wiped away a small tear.

Rude had just been pulling out of the company parking lot when he heard the sirens.

He pulled over to avoid the ambulances, and watched as they parked beside the building. Several men in white uniforms ran inside.

A few moments later, they returned, carrying a body on a stretcher. The body's face was covered by an oxygen mask, and Rude couldn't tell if it was male or female.

He drove away.

_Probably an intern_, he thought. _Poor kid._

When he got home there was a message waiting on his answering machine.

"Um…Hello, Rude. It's President Shinra. I…something happened to…to Reno. I'd really appreciate it if you'd…if you'd call me back as soon as you got this." His voice cracked on the last sentence, and the message ended.

Rude dialed his bosses phone number, a feeling of dread growing in his stomach. The phone rang twice, then someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello?" It was Rufus.

"Sir?"

He sighed. "Oh, Rude. It's you."

"Sir, what's wrong?"

The President took a deep breath.

"Rude, Reno tried to commit suicide."

The bald man dropped the phone. Twenty minutes later, he drove to the hospital. He had slept over for the last few nights, and his best friend still hadn't woken up.


	6. Elena Brings Bad News

**I know, I know, this chapter is painfully short, and the end is going to make all my fans kill me, but remember: The story isn't over yet! Bear with me until I can get the next chapter typed up and submitted, it will be the penultimate chapter!**

"Rude?"

The large, bald man looked up.

"Oh. Hello, Elena."

She smiled weakly. "I've been sent to relieve you."

He nodded, and left.

She sat down on the chair. She stared at Reno's body, and a small tear ran down her cheek. She had never thought he would look like this, pale and gaunt, stuck full of clear, thin plastic tubes.

She sighed.

"Reno, I need you. Please-if you leave, I…I don't think I could live with what I've done to you.

"I love you. With all my body and soul. When Rufus told me what had happened, I could actually fell my heart ripping in two." The tears were flowing faster now.

"I didn't know how much I needed you, how much it would hurt to lose you. I need you, Reno. I need you more than air, more than water, more than light and food. I need you more than I need life."

A tear fell onto the bed, making a dark puddle on the blanket that quickly spread.

"Reno, if you don't wake up by tomorrow, they're going to take you off life support.

"And then you will die."


	7. Epiphany

**Well, everybody, here it is! The second to last chapter. I know you can't wait for the end, but you'll have to. I hope everyone likes it, though it's rather short.**

He was drifting.

Drifting through an ocean of white light, being burned and frozen, dropped and suspended, all at the same time.

His eyes were closed.

He was alone.

And then he wasn't. There was someone there, standing above him. It was a young woman, perched perfectly between maturity and youth. Even through his closed eyelids, he could see her gentle smile, her soft eyes, the pink ribbon in her chestnut brown hair.

"Hello, Reno." She said melodiously. "Remember me?"

Of course he remembered her. How could he forget?

"Aeris?"

"Oh, good! You do remember!" she laughed.

He tried to turn his head, but couldn't. "Am I dead?"

"No." she said. "But almost. They're going to pull the plug on you if you don't wake up soon."

"I wish they'd get a move on." He muttered wryly.

Aeris frowned. "Listen. Then tell me you want to die."

He listened. "I don't hear anything."

"Listen harder."

He did, straining his ears.

And then he heard it. A faint, delicate voice.

"Reno, please don't go away. If you left, I don't think I could live with myself.

"I love you. I see that now. I have always loved you, and I always will. If you die, so will I.

"Please come back, Reno. Please…"

The voice faded away.

Reno bolted upright, only to be held down by invisible chains.

"That was Elena!" He strained at his manacles, trying to break free.

Aeris grinned confidently. "Do you want to die now?"

"Hell, no! How do I go back???"

"Just open your eyes."


	8. Resolution

**YES! THIS IS IT! THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! IT'S…**

**THE LAST CHAPTER (OMG)!**** I can't believe I've actually finished this. I just hope you guys all like it… If you don't, tell me what's wrong. And if it feels rushed, that's okay, I have an excuse. Read all the thank you's at the end of this chapter and there's an EXCLUSIVE (double OMG) sneak preview of… THE SEQUEL! (faints from excitement)**

**Well, happy reading!**

Elena was in a deep pit of despair. After all her begging and pleading, all she had tried, all she had said, Reno was still unconscious, and, if Rufus and the doctors carried through with their plans, he would be dead in less than an hour.

She laid her head on his chest, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of his breath, shallow as it was. She was terrified that at any moment, it would stop, and he would be gone.

Forever.

"Please." She whispered. "Please come back, Reno." She closed her eyes and let the hot tears flow, leaking out of the corners of her closed lids and falling onto his bare skin.

And then, his breathing changed. It seemed…faster, stronger; less like it needed the machine. She looked up, but her beloved was still unmoving.

She sighed. It must have just been her, wishing, hoping so hard it made her imagine things.

She rested her head on his chest again, and sobbed gently.

Suddenly, she heard a voice. It was weak, faint, and slightly raspy.

"Hey, 'Laney. Why ya cryin'?"

She lifted her head slowly. There, a smile on his lips, his eyes glittering, was Reno.

Awake.

Alive.

"R-Reno?" she whispered, reverently, her eyes huge. Then she screamed in happiness. "RENO!" she shrieked, throwing herself onto the newly reborn Turk.

"Hey, hey, careful! You'll knock out my IV tube, yo!" he protested.

Elena sat back on the plastic chair, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Reno, I understand that you probably hate me, and I know that it would make perfect sense for you to loathe me with all your heart, but you have to let me just say one thing before I leave-"

Reno held up a hand to stop the stream of words. "Elena?"

She looked up at him, gazing into his bright blue eyes. "Yes, Reno?"

He smiled mischievously. "I didn't tell you to get off."

And then, with strength that he shouldn't have had since he had been virtually dead only moments ago, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him, pressing is warm lips against hers. Passionately, she kissed him back, and neither of them let go until the others came in to see what was going on.

_The End._

**Okay, now it's time for the thank you list:**

**Thank you to my mum, the author, without whose' guidance I could never have written this;**

**My dad, who humored me when I forgot to take my meds;**

**My brother, without whom I would never have been able to finish this.**

**Thanks also to my friends Wulfeh, without whose' help I wouldn't even know what an Advent Child was, Korutah, who taught me to fly (thanks again for that), Platypus, who let me maul him whenever I was bored, and Zincent, whose endless fangirlirific-ness always makes me smile.**

**Many multitudes of thanks to the Gods of Music-Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Simple Plan, Counting Crows, O-Zone, and Allison Kraus- who inspired me with your angsty tunes and yearning pop ballads. Rock on, my friends.**

**And, of course, thanks to ALLLLLL my fans, who goaded me relentlessly to finish. I love you all, and you have given me my first taste of what it feels like to be popular.**

**And NOOOOOOW:**

He was always the weaker one, the one who followed orders. No wonder she had always loved Reno more.

But he knew her secret. And he would do anything to make her his.

Blackmail. Kidnap. Murder.

He would do it all for her.

Coming soon: "OBBSESSION"


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